The Congress Of South African Trade Union (Cosatu) has welcomed the Department of Labour’s move to de-register non-compliant companies and bogus unions that fail to supply the department with financial statements and audited reports.
The department yesterday said it had identified over 200 trade union and employer organisations that stand to be de-registered as a result of their failure to supply it with financial statements and audited reports.
A further 18 trade unions and 11 employer organisations had been identified as “non-genuine”, it stated.
“Cosatu would like to reiterate our whole-hearted support for the process undertaken by the department, and believe that this process can only benefit workers, who will henceforth be protected from bogus or fly-by-night ‘unions’ and exploitative labour brokers and consultants who masquerade as workers’ representatives.”
The federation said where its own unions are found to be in some contravention of the regulations, it is confident that this involves small technicalities which can be overcome within the 60 days stipulated by the department, and are not about the long-term viability of the unions.
“We have already begun to work very closely with the affected unions, to guide them through the process of compliance, and to aid them where incapacities exist.”
Cosatu added that none of its union affiliates were likely to be deregistered as a result of this process, and none of its 1,8 million members need worry about the future of their unions. – I-Net Bridge